Hi. I am after some advice, if anyone has any on this subject. I have been knitting a jumper for a friend, had some wool left over and started the same jumper for another friend. I ran out of wool and ordered some more and got a different dye lot - it is noticeably lighter - at least it is now that I have almost finished! Is there any way that anyone knows of kind of smudging the yarn to make the two lots more like each other. Otherwise I am going to have to reknit and it has already taken me so long!
Thanks knitters

kittykins

09-15-2010, 04:46 PM

Ouch! That's got to hurt after all the work you've put into it. Sadly,I don't have a solution for you.:cry: If there is one, I'm sure the experts here will help you. I have been knitting on and off for years, but have yet to get into any really complicated patterns. The one thing I am super careful about is...Making sure I have enough yarn in the same dye lot to finish a project! To me it's better to buy an extra skein when in doubt about the yardage you'll end up needing. If you don't have to use it, most yarn shops will let you return the extra skein. If you do have to break into it, even if it's only small amount of knitting left, it's better than ruining something you've spent so much time on. The leftovers can always be put to use in other projects. My heart goes out it you....I hope someone has the answer you're looking for! Jeanie

Crycket

09-15-2010, 04:55 PM

I don't think there is a solution that doesn't require ripping back.

The only way I know of, is to alternate rows with each colour.

bambaji

09-16-2010, 06:11 AM

Thanks for this, I shall certainly make sure I have enough yarn for future projects. Learned the hard way, still it's a lesson I won't forget!

Mirl56

09-16-2010, 10:11 AM

Could you possible dye the sweater? Never tried this, but might be worth a shot.

bambaji

09-16-2010, 11:56 AM

I did think of dyeing the jumper but then I thought that the slightly lighter wool might just dye lighter and then I would end up with the same problem! Thanks though. I'll have some wool left over so if I have time I may just try it and let you know what happens.

RuthieinMaryland

09-16-2010, 06:40 PM

Hi! :waving:

I sympathize with you about this since once upon a time I ruined 2/3 of an afghan with dye lot troubles!!! At the time I wasn't familiar with this method so all that knitting went to waste! Bummer!

BUT, this might help you, especially if your jumper is done in stockinette. As Crycket mentioned, alternating rows done with both yarns for a few inches will often hide the change. But what to do when you've gone way past where you joined the new lighter yarn?

Well, take a deep breath and get out those scissors! :roflhard: Scary, huh?

OK, with a long needle (Circs work great!) smaller in dimension than the one you originally knit with, go back to a couple of rows before you changed yarns and pick up loops along that row. Then go a couple of rows above where you joined the new yarn and do the same thing with another needle. So you've got a space between the two needles where you added the new dye lot.

You're going to remove those rows. Cut across and unravel them. Working with the bottom needle start knitting alternate rows of the old and the new dye lots (with your original sized needle), which hopefully will camouflage the change. When you've replaced the rows up to the top needle, graft (Kitchener Stitch) the two rows together.

This might be worth a try. I'd recommend you check it out on a smaller swatch first, though.

Let me know how this works for you!

And happy knitting! :knitting:

Ruthie :hug:

bambaji

09-17-2010, 12:40 PM

Ohmigod!!!! This does sound scary, but I can see how it might work. Thank you so much for the advice, I'll let you know how I get on.

Fran

RuthieinMaryland

09-17-2010, 03:35 PM

Hi!

How brave of you!!!!! And as a bonus, you'll get lots of practice doing Kitchner stitch. Doing it over a lot of stitches on a couple of projects I was working on helped me understand and retain
the technique!

All the best and please keep us all posted!

Ruthie :o)

bambaji

09-20-2010, 04:53 AM

Hi again Ruthie

I have a small problem - another one! I have looked at the technique and I think I can get my head round it, the problem is that I am knitting in 3x4 rib rather than straight stocking stitch, and I can't get my head round how to modify the instructions. So, I may have to give it a miss this time, too complicated for my first grafting exercise. Or am I just wimping out.....!!??!!

Fran

RuthieinMaryland

09-20-2010, 01:13 PM

Hi, Fran! :waving:

Here's an article in Knitting that shows how to graft seed stitch that might be helpful.

However, I'll be checking this out myself later this afternoon since it's a technique that I need to finish up one of the designs in my design your own kitchen cloths & accessories book! i THINK it's simple, simple enough that once it clicks we'll both wonder why we didn't see it immediately.

And having been a real "Wimpus Maxima" in the past, I can understand the impulse to go knit something else or (Heaven Forbid!) just frog it!
:roflhard:

with differnt dye lots just make it look like you did it on purpose.
so you start with dark ... then it changes to light.
at the bottom change back to dark (if you have any yarn left) for a few rows to make a band around the bottom and then finish with the light.

that way it will look like you made it that way! :woot:

bambaji

10-01-2010, 01:38 PM

Hi there Ruthie

Well I am that point where I need to decide what to do, have a go at grafting a 4x3 rib or just keep on knitting. Did you have a chance to look into the graft stitch? Do you think it could possibly be quite straight forward?

Your comments have been so helpful and encouraging, all the comments have been, I do look forward to hearing from you again.

Thanks

Fran

RuthieinMaryland

10-01-2010, 05:19 PM

Hi, Fran!

I tried the 4x3 rib graft and it was a real brain cracker!!! When I looked back over the row part of it was grafted perfectly then I lost it and things went off pattern. I know that's not the look you're aiming for! :o)

So the answer seem to be that yes, it can be done (since I actually did it) but the bad news is that I can't figure out how I did the part that looked right!

I know that each stitch in a graft has to have both a knitwise and purlwise stitch treatment before it gets taken off its respective needle and I was working with that concept. I seemed to loose the pattern when the knits changed to purls.

You might want to play with it yourself using the above idea, but I'm not certain enough of it to goad you into taking scissors to your sweater!!!!!!

Please let us know what you decide!

Good luck,

Ruthie :o)

RuthieinMaryland

10-02-2010, 04:11 PM

HI!

Amy has answered the whole question I think. Here's a link to a thread in the pattern section that should handle the issue. So maybe you can take your scissors to that sweater after all!

You can become a "sweater surgeon" with practice!

Hope this works...

http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33240

And thanks, Amy! :yay:

Ruthie

bambaji

10-03-2010, 02:18 PM

Brilliant, thank you, I shall have a go. Isn't this forum great? I love the way that information is so freely shared. I am most grateful.